Crime: A Series of Extraordinary Interviews Exposing the World of Crime―Real and Imagined

by Alix Lambert (Editor)

A bank robber goes on a spree. A man confesses to a murder he did'nt commit. A gangster tortures his accomplice. The perfect murder is attempted by two teenagers. These are just a few of the cases - fact and fiction, little known and legendary - that Alix Lambert explores in her investigation of the nature of crime, both real and imagined.
Throughout these compelling interviews - with detectives, actors, murderers, film directors, prison inmates and authors - a constant theme Could I do that? Is it bad luck or bad judgement that pushes someone over the edge? The boundaries between safety and danger aren't as defined as we'd like to believe.

Genres: True Crime, Crime, Nonfiction

448 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really intrigued by this impressively bound book of photos and interviews which is very Studs Terkel-esque in its approach to the subject. Alix Lambert went around interviewing people directly associated with real-life crime as well as directors, writers, and artists whose works deal with fictional crime to gather an interesting compendium of the culture and mythos around these subversive acts. At the center of the work was a question of why crime is so compelling to us in the first place, which ultimately leads into further questions about how crime really happens, why it does, and how it effects us. While it's by no means a comprehensive work and there are no definitive answers to these questions, there is a great humanity which emerges that is fascinating and I was disappointed when it ended. Definitely worth reading.

[Justin]

This is a one-of-a-kind epic of research on crime, and the focus is more on the inner worlds of crime and transgression than on the procedure of crime and police work. Essential stuff, and I'd also recommend Alix's amazing documentary film, The Mark of Cain, about tattooing in Russian prisons - but really, like this book, also about so much more.

[Rachel Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting for those of us fascinated by crime and criminals. Short but intense interviews with crime writers, actors, directors, cops, criminals, and victims.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Won't be finishing this one... Too many actors talking about playing criminals, and not enough criminals!